Keto Crispy Garlic Zucchini Chips

Craving a healthy snack? Try Keto Crispy Garlic Zucchini Chips! From Mediterranean Diet & Recipes For Beginners.

Keto Crispy Garlic Zucchini Chips


Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder (if tolerated)
1 teaspoon salt (if tolerated)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (if tolerated)
Parmesan cheese grated for topping (if tolerated, optional)


Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 225°F (110°C) or set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).

2. Slice the zucchinis thinly into rounds.

3. In a bowl, toss zucchini slices with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.

4. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking sheet or air fryer basket.

5. If using the oven, bake for 2-3 hours or until crispy, flipping halfway through. For the air fryer, cook for about 15-20 minutes, shaking occasionally, until crispy.

6. (Optional) Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese during the last few minutes of cooking for extra flavor.

7. Allow to cool and enjoy your crispy zucchini chips!

Prep time: about 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 hours in the oven or 15-20 in air fryer

Southern Fried Okra

Golden brown with a little fresh green showing through, these okra nuggets are crunchy and addicting! From tasteofhome.com.

Southern Fried Okra


Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sliced fresh or frozen okra, thawed
3 tablespoons buttermilk (on the “Try It” list)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal (without problem ingredients)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic herb seasoning blend (without problem ingredients)
1/8 teaspoon pepper (if tolerated)
Oil for deep-fat frying
Additional salt and pepper, optional (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Pat okra dry with paper towels. Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, seasoning blend and pepper. Dip okra in buttermilk, then roll in cornmeal mixture.

2. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry okra, a few pieces at a time, for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Spinach and Pepper Pita Pizzas

Whole-wheat pitas are topped with spinach, red peppers, and Havarti cheese, for an easy-to-make, nutritious snack or for dinner. From marthastewart.com.

Spinach and Pepper Pita Pizzas


Ingredients:

4 mini whole-wheat pitas (without problem ingredients)
2 ounces (2 cups) trimmed spinach, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 to 3 ounces shredded Havarti cheese (preferably dill-flavored) or other cheese you can tolerate
Coarse salt and ground pepper (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pitas on a baking sheet. Top with spinach, peppers, and cheese, dividing evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Bake until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars

Healthy, no-bake granola bars with just 5 ingredients and a sweet, crunchy texture. Peanut butter and maple syrup complement each other perfectly in this ideal portable breakfast or snack.
From minimalistbaker.com.

Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars


Ingredients:

1 heaping cup packed (~220 g) dates, pitted (deglet noor or medjool)* (without preservatives)
1/4 cup (84 g) pure maple syrup or agave nectar (if tolerated) or honey if not vegan
1/4 cup (64 g) creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
1 cup (112 g) roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped (see instructions below for roasting nuts)
1 1/2 cups (135 g) rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
optional additions: white chocolate chips, raisins, nuts (if tolerated), vanilla, etc.


Directions:

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball.)

2. Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I prefer the toasted flavor.

3. Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl - set aside.

4. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.

5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.)

6. Press down firmly until uniformly flattened - I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.

7. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.

8. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn't necessary.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites

The absolute quickest and easiest way to make homemade pretzel bites! No rising or kneading here! And it is the best when served warm. You cannot beat that! From damndelicious.net.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites


Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (if tolerated)
2 pounds pizza dough, store-bought (without problem ingredients) or homemade, at room temperature
1/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

3. Working on a lightly floured surface, cut dough into 4 equal strips. Roll each strip into a long rope, about 12-14 inches; cut into 1-inch pieces.

4. Heat 6 cups water and baking soda in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; working in batches, drop dough pieces until slightly puffed and dimpled, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well.

5. Place dough pieces onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1/2-inch apart. Brush with egg.

6. Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 9-12 minutes.

7. Working in batches, combine warm pretzel bites, butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.

8. Serve warm.

IC Friendly Chicken Nachos

Yes, we can still have nachos!!! This version is hearty and will fill your belly for sure! From nikicooks.blogspot.com.

IC Friendly Chicken Nachos


Ingredients:

Cooked Chicken, diced (Niki sprinkles hers with onion powder and grills it in Olive Oil)
Tortilla Chips (without problem ingredients)
Black Beans, rinsed well (if tolerated)
Green Onion, diced (if tolerated)
Red Bell Pepper, diced
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Sprinkle of Cumin (this is on the “try it list”)


Directions:

Spread Tortilla Chips on oven pan (put down foil first for easier clean up). Layer each chip with all ingredients above (I'm very generous with the cheese) and sprinkle very lightly with Cumin. Make as many layers as you wish. Bake at 400 about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and starts to golden.

Glazed Donuts

Make these glazed donuts on a day when you want to give family and friends an extra special treat. From grandmotherskitchen.org.

Glazed Donuts


Ingredients:

Donuts:
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter
5 cups all purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cold milk


Directions:

Donuts:

1.Place active yeast to warm water, give a quick mix and set aside. Mix together all ingredients together. Once a dough has formed, you will need to knead for about 5 - 10 minutes.

2. You should be able to pull at dough and it not tear right away.

3. Cover this with a cloth and let sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. Punch out the air and roll out to about a 1/4 inch.

4. Cut out shapes as close to each other as possible, you can re roll out excess dough and cut out more, until all the dough is used.

5. Use a heavy bottom medium sized pot. You may not need to use a full quart of oil. Just pour enough in to have about 2-inches of oil in the pot. Heat oil to about 375F. Use a cooking thermometer to check the heat.

6. Work in batches and fry the donuts, a few at a time for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

7. Line a plate with paper towels.

8. Remove the donuts with long tongs and place the cooked donuts onto to the paper towels to soak up excess oil.

9. Repeat the process until all the donuts are cooked.

10. Place the donuts onto a serving tray.


Glaze:

1. Stir the confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla together in a bowl. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring in until you get a good glaze consistency.

2. The milk amount may vary which is why it is good to add it a little at a time.

3. Drizzle the glaze over the prepared donuts and use a silicone pastry brush to spread on evenly.

The Best Crockpot Applesauce EVER

Break out your trusty crockpot and make the BEST applesauce ever! The brown sugar gives it the most decadent flavor that reminds you of apple crisp. It’s also delicious topped with crushed graham crackers or a little granola (both without problem ingredients).

Note: This applesauce will be slightly chunky. You can put it through a food processor or blender for a smoother texture if needed. From sweettoothsweetlife.com.

The Best Crockpot Applesauce EVER

8 to 9 medium GALA or FUJI apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin, (cut slices in half as well)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if tolerated)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (if tolerated)


Directions:

Peel/slice/core all of the apples and place them in a crockpot. Add water, then sprinkle apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours (or low for 8 - 9 hours) or until apples are softened. Stir and enjoy!

Spinach Pie

This is a delicious Greek recipe and can be enjoyed as a snack food or a starter. From grandmotherskitchen.org.

Spinach Pie


Ingredients:

1 package pastry filo for pies (without problem ingredients)
1 lb. fresh spinach
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup olive oil in a bowl
2 1/2 cups Feta cheese
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
3 Tablespoons Parmesan or Pecorino (if tolerated)
Pepper (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Have ready a 9x13 inch baking pan.

3. Wash the spinach and place into a pot. Cover with water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out the moisture and place into a large mixing bowl. Break the eggs into the spinach and stir well to combine.

4. Cut the feta into small pieces in a bowl, or you can use your fingertips to break up. Add the Parmesan and stir together.

5. Add the spinach and stir together.

6. Open the pastry and cover it with a wet towel. The wet towel will keep the pastry from drying out while you prepare the spinach pie.

7. Stir the melted butter into the olive oil then brush then pastry in between, one by one with the
mixture of oil and butter and place into the pan.

8. When you have half of the pastry filo brushed, place the stuffing in. Now continue brushing the remaining pastry and layering until completed.

9. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes until golden brown.

Banana Cream Pops

Here is a dessert that you can eat morning, noon and night with no guilt what-so-ever! There are only good healthy ingredients in this treat. From grandmotherskitchen.org.

Banana Cream Pops
Makes six 4 oz. pops


Ingredients:

4 very ripe bananas
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (without problem ingredients)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (if tolerated)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup natural organic cane sugar


Directions:

Place all the ingredients into blender. Pulse until well combined then pour into your popsicle molds (small plastic cups will also work for this). Place plastic wrap over each cup and poke your stick into the middle. The plastic wrap will hold the stick in place. Place into the freezer overnight (or for at least 6 hours). These will be fine up to 6 months frozen in a sealed bag.

Homemade Healthy Gummies

If you are concerned about IC, Homemade Healthy Gummies are the way to go. Did you know store bought gummies or fruit snacks are full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes? Check out the labels! The long list of ingredients indicates the snack is not a healthy choice. They are so easy to make and you will feel great about giving your kids a super healthy snack too. These Homemade Healthy Gummies are made with real fruits and veggies, full of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients! You don’t have to worry about high fructose corn syrup or dangerous artificial dyes anymore. Isn’t it great? Just whole fresh fruits and veggies. You can also get creative and add superfoods like chia seeds, ginger, probiotics, cod liver oil or kale to your blends.

A good quality Gelatin is very important. This is why it is recommended to use one made from 100% Pasture-Raised Beef. The collagen in this type of gelatin along with the many amino acids help regulate our metabolisms, have anti-inflammatory properties, strengthens hair and nails, and regulates hormones. Gelatin is also known to improve digestion.

From creativeandhealthyfunfood.com.

Homemade Healthy Gummies


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fruit and/or vegetable juice (ones that are tolerated), freshly made with a Juicer (cold press -best choice) or store-bought (making sure it is 100% juice and preferably not from concentrate). Smoothie blends are great too!

• 4 tablespoons gelatin (grass fed gelatin. A tablespoons is usually one gelatin packet, but just to be sure, empty the packets into a bowl and use a measure spoon.)

• 2-4 tablespoons Raw Honey depending on your preference and how sweet your juice is. You can also use pure maple syrup. If your juice has lots of veggies you will need more but it is up to your personal taste.

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, (recommended Organic Pure Vanilla Extract – optional for extra flavor)

• Any other ingredients you would like to incorporate like probiotics, elderberry syrup (to prevent or fight a cold, if tolerated), or cod liver oil (immune system booster). Remember you can make these gummies your natural multivitamins.


Directions:

1. Pour juice into a small-medium saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let sit for just a few minutes until it starts to “bloom” (it will get wrinkly looking on the surface and all of the white powder from the gelatin will absorb into the liquid). When all the gelatin is absorbed, mix it well.

2. Then place the saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Let the liquid warm, but don’t let it boil. You want all of the gelatin to dissolve and turn thin and runny (it will be grainy at the beginning but after a couple of minutes in the heat it should dissolve completely).

3. Add the honey, vanilla extract, and any other ingredients you will be using.

4. Put the liquid in a little jar (you can use a measuring cup) into a Loaf Pan or your fun gummy molds and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours. Some of my favorite molds are the Freshware 30-Cavity Silicone Mold, the Toy, Car, Block and Bear Chocolate, Gummy Mold and the kilofly Silicone Mold, Robot & Dinosaur

5. Remove from molds. They pop right out. If you used the loaf pan, cut your gelatin into small squares.

6. Keep your homemade healthy gummies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. If you leave them outside they will last but I recommend storing them in the refrigerator.

*Update. If you want to make smaller gummies, there are fantastic mini Gummy Bear Molds. They even come with a dropper for easy filling.


Ideas For Juice Combinations:

Red: beets, strawberries (if tolerated), carrots, raspberries (if tolerated), red apples (if tolerated)

Orange: carrots, oranges (if tolerated), clementines (if tolerated), mangoes (if tolerated), peaches (if tolerated)

Yellow: yellow pear, yellow apple (if tolerated), grapes (if tolerated), (DO NOT use pineapple juice, your gelatin will not set up due to the enzyme bromelain that’s found in pineapple).

Green: kale, spinach, peas, green grapes (if tolerated), cucumber, green apple (if tolerated), (DO NOT use kiwi, your gelatin will not set up)

Purple: purple cabbage, blackberries and blueberries (if tolerated)

If you want to change the colors and lighten up your homemade healthy gummies, you can also substitute some milk (dairy or non-dairy) for some of the juice in the recipe. You can also use almond milk.

Here are some other DIY Natural Food Coloring ideas that you might like to try.

Healthy Small Batch Blueberry Crumble Bars

Tender cookie crust topped with juicy blueberry filling and finished with cinnamon streusel. Just like eating blueberry pie—but guilt-free with only 67 calories and it’s IC friendly too!
From amyshealthybaking.com.

Slow Cooker Pear and Applesauce

If you’re struggling with a tender stomach, gut, throat or bladder, sometimes you just have to go back to the basics… a gentle applesauce that will go down easily and provide some light nourishment. Registered dietitian Julie Beyer RDN offers a simple recipe for apple and pear sauce that is simple, fresh and refreshing.

With thin skinned fruits, it’s important to buy organic whenever available to reduce any residual pesticide exposure. Look for the lower acid Gala or Fuji apples to cook with. We have a special fondness for Bosc pears but your goal is to get the freshest, ripest fruit available. The riper the fruit, the lower the acid.

You’ll also notice that this recipe does include an optional teaspoon of lemon juice. Now you must be wondering “What would you put lemon in this?”. This is actually a very small amount of lemon, thus the overall acid level is quite small. However, if you’re concerned, you can reduce the quantity to 1/2 teaspoon or, perhaps, use some lemon peel instead. It’s entirely your choice. You can also use JAVAcid to reduce acid levels and add some nice beneficial fiber too! From icdietproject.com.

Slow Cooker Pear and Applesauce

Ingredients:

3 large GALA or FUJI apples (peeled, cored, and cut into slices)
3 large pears (peeled, cored, and cut into slices)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (if tolerated)
½ teaspoon ground cloves (if tolerated)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
⅓ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt


Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in slow cooker, and put the top on. Cook mixture on high for 4 hours, stirring twice during cooking. The pear-applesauce will be slightly chunky. For a smoother sauce, use blender or immersion blender to puree. Serve warm or cool sauce and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. May be frozen.

Healthy Carrot Cake Granola Bites

An easy recipe for healthy bite-sized granola bars that taste just like carrot cake! Super easy to make, no butter or refined sugar, and only 31 calories! From amyshealthybaking.com. It can also be easily adapted to be IC friendly (according to your tolerances).

Almond Coconut Granola Bars

No time for breakfast? Granola bars to the rescue. Hungry on the plane? Granola bars sure beat pretzels. Long stretch between lunch and dinner? Again, granola bars.

These no-bake bars, which are made with oats, nuts, and coconut, and naturally sweetened with honey (or maple syrup) are some effective, energy-rich treats. They would also be great snacks for lunch bags and hungry kids who have just arrived home from school. They’re much more tasty and offer more sticking power than any of the store-bought options. Be sure to use pure maple syrup and coconut that has no preservatives. Only add cinnamon if you can tolerated it.
From cookieandkate.com.

Gluten Free Granola Wedges

For those of you who not only follow the IC diet, but need to be gluten-free as well . . . A snack that meets both diet restrictions (with a little tweaking)!! Who says there are no miracles? If you do not need it to be gluten-free, you can use regular rolled oats if you prefer. From icdietblog.wordpress.com

Gluten Free Granola Wedges

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats like Bob’s Red Mill
1 cup chopped, raw almonds, cashews or peanuts (or sunflower seeds if tolerated)
1 cup brown rice cereal (Kellogg’s makes one or find at a health food store)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup dried fruit like blueberries (or raisins or cherries if tolerated)
Pinch of salt to taste


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have a large, rimmed baking sheet at hand. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Or line with parchment paper.

Combine oats, nuts, seeds and cereal. Spread on the baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Cool.

Heat the honey in a large pan over medium heat for 2-4 minutes, until bubbles form.
Remove from heat and quickly stir in oat mixture. Add dried fruit and salt stirring to thoroughly incorporate.

Use a spatula to spread the mixture in the sprayed cake pan. Press firmly to create an even layer. Cool for 30 minutes in the fridge. Using a flexible spatula, lift the granola round out of the pan. Cut into wedges. The wedges can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 10 days. Makes 8-12 wedges.

*Flax seeds or wheat germ can also be substituted for part of the nuts or seeds.

Nutrition per 1/8: 180 calories, 4 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fat, 35 mg sodium, 3 grams fiber

Adapted by Elizabeth Braun, MS, RD GRWH dietitian from The Washington Post August 6, 2013 article by Casey Seidenberg

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Snack Cake

These look so good! This is an easy recipe for a snack cake that is full of fresh bananas. With no butter, refined flour or sugar and only 101 calories, it’s healthy enough for breakfast too! I can’t wait to try them. From amyshealthybaking.com. It can also be easily adapted to be IC friendly (according to your tolerances).

Cinnamon Maple Caramel Popcorn

This healthier, dairy-free, homemade version is really easy to make. Made simply with pure maple syrup, nut butter, spices and freshly popped popcorn. And it is delicious!

Feel free to change up your caramel popcorn! Add toasted, sliced almonds to match the almond butter, but you could leave out extra nuts or substitute your favorite. Feel free to use any nut butter you'd like. Once you’ve mixed the maple syrup mixture into the popcorn, you could add in some toasted coconut, sprinkles… anything that sounds good. From cookieandkate.com.